P’tit Basque-style cheese
Small sheep-milk cheese with mixed cultures, a gentle cook and a natural rind. 10 L milk. Shared calculations and pH notes.
- Milk
- 10 L milk
- Make
- 3 h + 7–9 h press
- Salt at
- 20% brine after pressing
- Affinage
- 6–10 weeks, 10–13 °C
Ingredients
- Already-pasteurised whole sheep milk
- 10 L
- Calcium chloride, 30%Dilute in 75 mL water
- 2.50 mL
- MA4001 mesophilic starter
- 5/16 tsp
- Thermo C starter
- 5/32 tsp
- Animal rennet, assumed 200 IMCU/mLSource 2.5 mL per 4 L; dilute 1:10
- 6.25 mL
- Optional annattoDrop volume depends on product
- 25–50 drops
- BrineNo additional dry-salting dose
- 20% NaCl
| Stage | Time | °C | pH | Do | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | |||||
| Pasteurise | Skip for this cheese | Use already-pasteurised milk; this heating stage is skipped. | |||
| Culture | rehydrate 5 min | 32 | ≈6.6predicted, milk | Warm milk with calcium chloride; sprinkle MA4001 and Thermo C. Rehydrate 5 min, then stir. | Add optional annatto during milk preparation. |
| Ripen | 30 min | 32 | ≈6.6predicted, milk | Cover and ripen. | |
| Rennet | 45 min | 32 | ≈6.4predicted, curd | Stir in diluted rennet for 1 min; still milk and hold to a clean break. | |
| Curd | |||||
| Cut and rest | 5 min rest | 32 | ≈6.4predicted, curd | Cut to 1 cm cubes and heal 5 min. | |
| Scald | 30 min | 32 → 36 | ≈6.2predicted, curd | Stir gently while increasing the temperature by 4 °C over 30 min. | |
| Pitch | 5 min | 36 | ≈6.2predicted, curd | Settle the curds. | |
| Stir | Skip for this cheese | ||||
| Shape | |||||
| Drain and form | 15 min | 36 → room | ≈6.1predicted, curd | Fill small cloth-lined hoops matching the source wheel dimensions. | |
| Press | 30 min + 6–8 h | room | ≈5.3predicted, curd | Press lightly for 30 min, then firmly for 6–8 h, flipping halfway. | Original small-mould reference: 2 kg then 5 kg. Use comparable diameter and adjust to consolidation. |
| Salt | 4 h per small wheel | 10–13 | ≈5.3predicted, curd | Submerge in 20% brine and flip at 2 h. | Larger wheels need brining recalculated for their dimensions. |
| Mill | Skip for this cheese | ||||
| Cave | |||||
| Surface dry | 12–24 h | 18–20 | ≈5.3make-end baseline; recheck during aging | Dry at 65% RH, turning every 12 h. | |
| Affinage | 6–10 weeks | 10–13 | ≈5.3make-end baseline; recheck during aging | Hold at 85% RH. Turn daily in week 1; every 2 days in weeks 2–6; weekly in weeks 7–10. Brush or lightly brine-wipe as needed. | |
Source and cheese-specific notes
Ptit_Basque_Cheese_Dashboard.docx
Scaled from 4 L by 2.5. The source lists approximately 2% cheese salt but specifies brining; no separate dry-salt addition is made.
The source rennet dose is relatively high if its strength is 200 IMCU/mL. This sheet preserves source activity; confirm bottle strength and the set before cutting.
Source 2 kg then 5 kg press loads and 4 h brining apply to its small wheel geometry. Divide the 10 L make among comparably sized forms rather than applying these unchanged to one larger wheel.
No source pH targets are supplied; predictions are provisional.
≈ marks an illustrative prediction. Source targets and recorded readings are labelled separately; recorded readings are historical context, not targets for a new batch. Use a calibrated meter and the correct sample medium. Read the shared method and assumptions.